When you’re a child, every party is special and usually celebrated with a big party and all your friends and family. There are usually presents and games, not to mention delicious food – especially the cake.

Life is made up of experiences, special moments and times of change, and marking these events with a ritual of celebration has become tradition. As we grow older, many of us don’t want to think about the fact that another year has passed by, let alone celebrate it, but there are some significant milestone birthdays that really shouldn’t be ignored like your 18th or 21st and the birthdays that celebrate each subsequent decade of life.

Milestone birthdays not only give us a chance to celebrate important times, they can also be a time of reflection and recognition of what someone has achieved in their life so far. Some people look back on their life and there’s always some regret about what they haven’t done or didn’t achieve, but you can turn that around by helping your loved one realise it’s never too late to do something they’ve always wanted to do.

Special birthdays remind us that life is there to be lived so why not do something out of the ordinary? If your loved one isn’t into having a party with games and food, why not plan a special day or weekend for friends to come and visit? You can take part in an activity that your loved one enjoys and include some kind of challenge that will not only be enjoyed by all, but also be something that is positively life affirming.

If your loved one is into parties with music, dancing, food and all the trimmings, why not plan a party theme around the decade they were born? There’s so much scope for decade themed parties, including music, food, fancy dress, games and props from the specific time period.

If this isn’t something that appeals then perhaps the party could be based around a hobby or interest your loved one has; for example, if your loved one is into football, have everyone come dressed in the team’s football strip. If they enjoy salsa dancing, have a party with a Latin American feel or if they enjoy reading, guests can come dressed as literary characters.

Perhaps your loved one would enjoy something that is a little more sophisticated and there are plenty of ideas that you can combine to make the day perfect for them. Why not treat them to a day at the races or a pampering session at a spa followed by a classy dinner party with champagne?

Another idea would be to host a “This is your life” type of event where guests can come forward and talk about humorous or memorable stories they have of times gone by. You can also create a slide show presentation or have pictures of your loved one throughout their life placed around the party area along with the balloons and streamers.

Whatever type of party you decide to plan, you will need to let your guests know all about it. That’s where PuttyPrint can help, as we have milestone birthday party invitations that can be fully customised to match your theme. Delivery and envelopes are Free plus order by 10am for same day dispatch.